Crockpot BBQ Chicken Mac & Cheese

The easiest creamy comfort food dinner that tastes like takeout but costs under $10

There are certain dinners that just make everyone happy, and this is one of them. On busy days when I know I won’t have the energy to stand over the stove at 5 p.m., I throw a couple of chicken breasts and BBQ sauce into the crockpot and let it do its thing.

By dinner time, the chicken is perfectly tender and coated in sweet, smoky sauce. Then we stir in pasta, milk, and plenty of cheese to turn it into the creamiest, coziest mac and cheese situation. It feels indulgent, but it’s made with simple, affordable ingredients you can grab at Aldi.

This recipe is:

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• family approved
• budget friendly
• minimal prep
• and perfect for leftovers

If you love easy crockpot dinners and creamy comfort food, this one is going to stay on repeat.

Print Recipe

Crockpot BBQ Chicken Mac & Cheese

Author: taylorblogcollabs Cooking Method: Baking Courses: Dinner

Difficulty: Beginner Prep Time 5 mins Cook Time 7 hrs Total Time 7 hrs 5 mins

Servings: 6

Best Season: Winter, Fall, Suitable throughout the year

Description

This Crockpot BBQ Chicken Mac & Cheese is the ultimate comfort food dinner made with tender slow-cooked chicken, creamy melted cheese, and perfectly cooked pasta. The chicken simmers all day in rich BBQ sauce, creating incredible flavor with minimal effort. Once combined with milk and shredded cheese, it turns into a creamy, filling meal that tastes like restaurant-quality mac and cheese but is made with simple, budget-friendly ingredients. This easy crockpot recipe is perfect for busy weeknights, family dinners, and meal prep, and reheats beautifully for leftovers.

Ingredients

Cook Mode Cooking Mode Disabled

Scale

1/2x 1x 2x 3x

• 2 large chicken breasts
• 1 cup BBQ sauce
• 2 cups dry pasta (elbow, shells, or rotini)
• 1.5 cups milk
• 2 cups cheddar cheese
• ¹⁄₂ tsp salt
• ¹⁄₂ tsp garlic powder
• crumbled bacon, green onions, extra BBQ drizzle on top (optional toppings)

Instructions

1. Cook the chicken

   Place chicken breasts in the crockpot.
   Pour BBQ sauce evenly over the top.

   Cook on:

   • LOW for 6–7 hours
     or

   • HIGH for 3–4 hours

   Chicken should be very tender and easy to shred.

2. Shred

   Remove chicken and shred with two forks.
   Return shredded chicken to the crockpot and stir into the BBQ sauce.

3. Cook pasta separately

   Cook pasta according to package directions.
   Drain well.

   (Do not cook pasta in the crockpot or it will get mushy.)

4. Make it creamy

   Add to the crockpot cooked pasta, milk, shredded cheese, salt, garlic powder Stir well.

   Cook on LOW for another 15–20 minutes until cheese is fully melted and creamy.

5. Let it thicken

   Turn off heat and let sit for 5 minutes before serving.
   The sauce thickens as it rests.

Note

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